


Prologue: Promise

by Phynoma



Series: The In-Between [1]
Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Awkward Romance, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Caed Nua, Cautious lovers, Demisexuality, Dorks in Love, Elves, First Dates, Gay Male Character, Kissing, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:15:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27129112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phynoma/pseuds/Phynoma
Summary: “Second thoughts?” he asked.“No, of course not,” Aloth said, too quickly. He hesitated.“But…?”Aloth shook his head, resolute. “No second thoughts.”“Good,” Mirad clapped a hand on his shoulder. “We’re here.”Short prologue to my Pillars smut, Aloth/Watcher Mirad. Nothing smutty here, but it's a-comin.
Relationships: Aloth Corfiser/Male Watcher, Aloth Corfiser/The Watcher
Series: The In-Between [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1980169
Kudos: 8





	Prologue: Promise

**Author's Note:**

> Not much to say at this point, except that I wrote this shortly after finishing Pillars I. I've made a few adjustments after playing Deadfire and forming the skeleton of the rest of the story, but it's basically intact. 
> 
> This story started when I reached the point in the first game where you suggest whether or not Aloth should dismantle the Key, and when I said "yes for gods'sake dismantle that sonofab*tch" his dialogue seemed soooo tentative I actually said outloud "GODDAMIT IF YOU BETRAY ME AGAIN I SWEAR TO GOD DON'T MAKE ME KILL YOU." I was so absolutely sure that he was gonna turn around and take over the Key while my Watcher just fell head over heels for him that I was both pleasantly surprised and slightly disappointed when he just...does as the Watcher suggests. So this whole shenanigans is based on him *not* following the Watcher's instructions, or, at least, changing his mind halfway through Deadfire.

_Library at Caed Nua, recovering post-Thaos_

Mirad found Aloth in the library, as he had expected. The wizard put down his wine glass at Mirad’s approach, eyes flicking up from his reading, quiet and expectant. Mirad gave him a grin and crooked a finger at him. Aloth flushed slowly, not breaking his gaze or betraying any other sign of emotion. After a hesitation, he snapped his book shut and rose. He started take his glass but Mirad waved his hand at him.  
“Leave it,” he said.  
Aloth looked at it a moment, as if debating swigging it all back at once, then put it down and followed Mirad out into the hall. The Watcher doused the lamp as they left.  
The night breeze was cool and gentle after the heat of the day. Aloth turned automatically towards Brighthollow but Mirad caught his arm, grin flashing in the gloaming.   
“This way,” he said, heading around the building towards the black, fragrant walls of the hedge maze.   
“What are you planning, Mirad?” Aloth asked. “Outside? Really?”  
“Just thought you’d prefer the privacy,” Mirad said. Aloth frowned, not sure if Mirad was teasing him or not. Mirad only gave him another grin, over-innocent. His boots crunched onto the gravel garden path as he ducked into the maze. Aloth sighed and followed.   
“Whatever you say, m’Lord,” he muttered, with just a touch of petulance. Mirad chuckled.   
They were silent as they traced their way through the maze. Mirad could feel Aloth’s trepidation increasing and fell back to walk beside him.  
“Second thoughts?” he asked.   
“No, of course not,” Aloth said, too quickly. He hesitated.   
“But…?”  
Aloth shook his head, resolute. “No second thoughts.”  
“Good,” Mirad clapped a hand on his shoulder. “We’re here.”  
The gazebo was dim, lit by candlelight behind the stained glass. Aloth looked at Mirad uncertainly, but the Lord of Caed Nua only bowed and gestured for him to go ahead.   
It was not nearly as decadent as Aloth had feared. Soft, undyed wyr blankets lay piled on one side of the gazebo. The floor was freshly latticed with rushes and sweet herbs, and the bench cushions were clean and plumped. A tray of cold, clear water and various citrus fruits sparkled beneath the warm glow of hanging lamps. Mirad watched Aloth carefully, relieved when he saw the wizard’s shoulders relax.   
“Not the den of iniquity you were expecting?” he asked.  
“I’ll admit I was a bit concerned about how many scarves and cushions I was going to find,” Aloth said dryly. Mirad looked delighted.   
“I’ve capitulated to your Aedryan sensitivities this time,” he said cheerfully, crossing to the tray and picking up an orange round, “but next time, there will be incense.”  
“Gods deliver us,” Aloth murmured. He found a seat and picked up a blanket, rubbing the soft material between his fingers. Mirad poured him a glass of water and sat beside him. Aloth took the glass with a nod but didn’t drink, clutching it in his lap, sitting straight and stiff. Mirad leaned into him, face close enough that his lips brushed Aloth’s throat when he spoke.   
“You’re apprehensive about something,” he said. Aloth flinched from the feather-light touch. Without moving away, Mirad unfastened the top clasp of Aloth’s tunic and smoothed it open, gentle. Aloth caught his hand.   
“This may take some time for me,” he said.   
Mirad pulled back enough to look into Aloth’s face. The elf cleared his throat and glanced away, tapping anxiously on his leg. But the Watcher had caught his expression, a mixture of fear and shame and disappointment. He was practically begging Mirad to give him an out. Mirad leaned back and let out his breath slowly, imagining he was backing away from a frightened animal.  
“Forgive me,” Aloth whispered, still not meeting his gaze.  
“There’s nothing to forgive,” Mirad said.   
“You went to all this trouble—”   
“You’re here, aren’t you?” Mirad gave him a quick grin. “That’s all I wanted.”  
Aloth granted him a half-amused, half-disparaging look.   
“You make this too easy for me, you know,” he said.   
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Mirad settled comfortably against him. Easy. Companionable. Damn it. “You’re acting like you’re going to bolt at any second, but I know you better than that,” he continued, and then as he said it, he knew it was true. Peace rolled over him. “Look, I’ve got decades. I can wait.”   
When Aloth didn’t respond, he lifted his hand to his mouth and kissed it, which at least had the advantage of making the other elf’s ears flush.   
“And you’ll come for me eventually,” Mirad concluded with perfect confidence.   
Aloth sensed a double entendre and let it slide, although he did roll his eyes. He shifted, leaning back against the bench, to give Mirad a searching look. He was surprised to find that the Watcher appeared to believe his own words, his scarred face relaxed and glowing with the sort of determination with which he looked at locked doors and unwinnable situations: something to vex other people, not him. Aloth had asked him to wait, and he would, gods be damned.   
“You’ll be back,” Mirad repeated.  
Aloth gave his head a shake, resisting the urge to touch the Watcher’s chest the way Mirad had just done to him. He could feel Iselmyr prodding him to say something, but all his reading and studies had done nothing to prepare him for this. He didn’t want to wipe that unearned confidence from Mirad’s face, but he felt like it was only fair to warn him, to make sure he knew—   
“Ach, ye naughty man,” he murmured, and if the words weren’t exactly his, the gist was there. “Yer bound fer hurt wi' that sort o' thought.”  
His hand was already raised, and he brushed a lock of hair out of Mirad’s face before he could lose his nerve. Mirad rewarded the gesture with a quick, roguish grin that he’d never quite lost, even with the title and rank.   
“Try me,” he challenged, and pulled him in for a kiss. 

  
It was summer, so it was already an hour light before the sun broke the horizon. Mirad hadn’t realized he’d dozed off until Aloth shook him awake. The wizard was leaning against him, feet on the bench and two grimoires propped on his lap. One of Mirad’s arms was draped over his chest, his head on his shoulder blade.   
“Mmf. Morning,” Mirad said groggily. “Didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.”  
“Not a worry.” Aloth closed his book and swung his legs around. “I was just catching up on some transcription work.”  
“Did you bring those with you?” Mirad frowned, trying to remember. “How did I not notice?”  
“You had other things on your mind, I suspect.” Aloth fidgeted with the binding, then leaned over and kissed Mirad on the cheek, blushing with his own daring. _You’re awfully coy for someone with their ass in my lap this morning_ , Mirad thought and wisely kept to himself. He suspected any progress they had made last night would take some time to come to fruition.   
Maybe Aloth was right, and this wasn’t the moment. Things were changing. He had hoped for a few months before his companions went their ways, but most had taken already gone. Only four remained: Sagani, preparing for the long trek home; Kana, who had requested to stay a little longer to study the Endless Paths; Edér, who, Mirad suspected, would stay as long as he asked; and Aloth. Only Woedica knew how long the wizard would dare put off his self-inflicted duties. Mirad suspected he would leave sooner than later. It pained him more than he wanted to admit, but he refused to be the one to ask him to stay.   
Aloth had gone so far as to brush his hand over Mirad’s as they walked back to the main hall, and the Watcher was trying to suppress his delight at this by studiously ignoring it. Sure, nothing had happened, not really; but he felt buoyant, like his chest was a balloon and he could barely keep his feet on the ground. He glanced at Aloth and the wizard caught his gaze at the same time, thoughtful expression giving way briefly to a smile that lit his whole face. He looked how Mirad felt: tired; happy.   
“Hello, boys,” Sagani greeted. She was sitting outside the Hall door, rubbing oil into the leather pieces of her armor. Ituumak was pouncing on bugs in the damp grass around her feet. Sagani raised her eyebrows at the two elves, not quite smirking. “Early morning. Or late night?”  
“Both?” Mirad suggested. Aloth was still close enough to brush against him, though he had pulled back. Mirad let his fingertips graze over the wizard’s grimoire, and then Aloth's fingers settled over his and he had to restart his brain. “Um. What about you?”  
Sagani shrugged. “Getting restless, I guess. It’s funny, after five years I thought I’d gotten over the travel bug. But it’s been a long time since I was home. I’m ready to see my kids again, and my husband.” Her gaze rested for a moment on their hands.   
“How soon are you leaving?” Mirad asked her, and felt Aloth tense.   
“Today, if that’s alright with you. I’d like to leave before summer starts to wane and the travel gets difficult in the White That Wends. Well, more difficult. And there doesn’t seem to be anything else to procrastinate with,” she laughed.   
“Oh! I mean, of course. Do you have everything you need? Is there anything else I can do for you? An escort?”  
She shook her head. “Thanks, Watcher. But I’ve got everything Ituumak and I need. We’ll take breakfast before we travel, if you don’t mind.”   
“We were looking for some breakfast, ourselves,” Mirad said, gesturing towards the hall. “Are you sure…?”  
“Really, Watcher, you’ve done enough,” she shook her head. “I’ve done what I came to do, and far more. Now it’s time to go back home. Thank you.” She stepped forward, and Mirad loosened his hand from Aloth to grip hers. He felt a little lost.   
“Right. I mean, my pleasure,” he said.   
Sagani patted his elbow, not tall enough to reach his shoulder. “I’ll see you inside, then,” she said.   
Mirad watched her herd Ituumak inside. The air felt tense. He turned to find Aloth wringing his hands.   
“When?” Mirad asked quietly. The elf exhaled through his nose and gave him a wry smile.   
“I’ve already gathered my things,” he admitted. “I may accompany Sagani part of the way North, if she’s interested.”  
Mirad nodded, trying for stoicism. Aloth’s expression turned pitying.   
“Watcher, you know we both have work to do,” he began. Mirad coughed and cleared his throat.   
“No, no, I know. Just if, you know, you ever want to take a break from saving the world from the Leaden Key you’ll know where to find me,” he said, trying for an easy grin. An odd expression passed over Aloth’s face, and Mirad stumbled on. “I mean, no expectations, but just if, I mean to say, who knows how long it’ll take to dismantle the Key, and I’ve never really been good at staying in one place, but I’m sure I’ll be here for a decade at least so…”  
Aloth was shaking his head. He rubbed his temple, looking torn between amusement and exasperation. “I am certain our paths will cross again, Watcher. You made a prediction, after all.”   
“Of course.” Mirad took a deep breath, feeling foolish. Easy-going, that was him. The completely confident Lord of Caed Nua. “I trust you.”  
The odd look flashed over Aloth’s face again and he barked a short laugh. “Right. Of course. Shall we?”


End file.
